Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
